


Mistakes Were Made

by drneroisgod



Category: H.I.V.E. Series - Mark Walden
Genre: Angst, Artificial Intelligence, Gen, i didn't set out to write angst but too bad, prompt by anon, timeline: between books one and two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:26:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29211885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drneroisgod/pseuds/drneroisgod
Summary: After H.I.V.E.mind assists some students with an escape attempt, Dr. Nero informs the professor that the artificial intelligence will be shut down permanently.
Relationships: Maximilian Nero & Professor Pike
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Mistakes Were Made

It was going to be bad. Professor Pike knew it was going to be bad. But he had miscalculated. When Pike entered Dr. Nero's office, the expression on his face was icy; upon looking up and seeing the professor, Nero's expression took on the aspect of a desert tundra, harsh and dry and completely unforgiving. Prior to that moment, Pike had had hope.

"Professor," Nero said. "I have personally reviewed all the logs from the night of the escape attempt and I have reached a decision: I want H.I.V.E.mind shut down.”

Pike swallowed. “Sir, we can’t—”

“It’s too dangerous.” Nero looked the professor straight in the eye: as always, he meant business. “I have seen the power of unpredictable artificial intelligence before and I refuse to see it again.”

“Mistakes were made, sir,” Pike said miserably. Indeed, he wished he could pin the blame on the students who had made the escape attempt and led H.I.V.E.mind astray. Two of them, Otto Malpense and Laura Brand, had the technical ability to understand and even alter H.I.V.E.mind’s code. His first instinct was to blame them—perhaps they were stealing the code to sell it. Perhaps they just wanted to create a little more chaos. 

But Nero had watched the children every step of the way. He would know it wasn’t true and Pike had never been one to lie to get what he wanted. 

“I blame myself,” Pike continued. “There was a flaw in H.I.V.E.mind’s code that allowed his unauthorized emotional response. I take complete responsibility.”

“That’s very well, professor,” Nero said, a wick of exasperation splitting through his muted anger. “But I simply cannot allow it.” 

Pike exhaled, feeling his panic bubble underneath his skin. He couldn’t destroy H.I.V.E.mind. It was silly to think of him like a son—Pike knew that better than anyone—but H.I.V.E.mind was his greatest accomplishment and he was good. It was not simply that the A.I.’s matrix was the most complex and unique system on the market (though, of course, that was also true); H.I.V.E.mind was  _ good. _ He was gentle, he was kind. Pike knew it deep in his bones: if H.I.V.E.mind were set loose on the world then he would find people and help them. That was his purpose. 

“Consider this, sir,” Pike said, finding his own anger and righteousness under one of the heaps in his mind. “Artificial intelligence is not some experimental possibility anymore. It is real. H.I.V.E.mind is the second operating system of his kind. The question is not whether you will allow artificial intelligence in the school, but whether we will be prepared when the whole of artificial intelligence is no longer under our own control.”

Nero studied Pike with something that seemed akin to respect; Pike remembered that it was good to remind people, occasionally, that he was dangerous, too.

“Two months,” Nero said. “If you cannot correct the unpredictable elements in two months, then we shut it down.”

“Understood, sir.”

Pike left in a hurry, his victory bittersweet. He knew what these next two months would entail, and it would not be pleasant for H.I.V.E.mind or for himself. Overhead, one of H.I.V.E.mind’s cables pulsed with a gentle blue light.

“I’m sorry,” Pike sighed. There was no point in saying it to the A.I.’s face. By the time H.I.V.E.mind understood what was happening, he would no longer be capable of forgiveness. 


End file.
